Connecting container system

ABSTRACT

A connecting container system for storing various items comprising two or more individually separable, cylindrically-shaped containers each having top and bottom planar surfaces and a clam-shell opening and closing mechanism that is vertically aligned when said containers are vertically stacked. Each said container having a set of magnets embedded in and flush-mounted with the top and bottom planar surfaces to hold the containers in vertical alignment by way of an attractive holding force when vertically stacking the containers. In addition, the containers may have different colors and/or a labeling region to enable a user to mark contents thereof. The order of the containers may be re-arranged and each container may be separately opened and closed when arranged in said ensemble without separating said ensemble.

BACKGROUND

This invention relates to a connecting container system for organizing and storing various items such as cosmetics, jewelry, hardware, food items, drug components, etc, but more specifically to a magnetically coupled connecting container system having vertically aligned and individually stacked containers that may be rearranged by a user thereof.

The invention addresses the problems in storing, organizing, and locating a particular item or groups of items among many, which a person may carry on their person, or store in their environs. Prior solutions have been provided by cosmetic cases shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,041,935; 5,740,906; 6,886,695; and 6,619,297. The prior art, among other things, does not appear to show or suggest magnetically-coupled container ensemble where individual containers may be re-arranged and/or individually opened and closed while maintaining the ensemble.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a connecting container system for organizing and storing items comprising two or more individually separable containers each having top and bottom surfaces and a clam-shell opening and closing mechanism that is vertically aligned when the containers are vertically stacked. The surfaces may be planar or they may take on other shapes. Each container may have a set of permanent magnets embedded in and flush-mounted with the top and bottom surfaces to hold the individual containers in vertical alignment by way of an attractive holding force when vertically stacked. A single magnet in each surface may suffice when other means are provided, such as, a detent-bump arrangement disposed in opposed regions of top and bottom surfaces, providing grooved surfaces in top and bottom surfaces, or complementary geometrically mating surfaces between tops and bottoms of the containers. In addition, the individual containers may have different colors and/or a labeling region to enable a user to mark contents thereof. The containers with items stored therein may be pulled apart and re-arranged in order according to individual preference of the user, and each container may be separately and individually opened and closed without separating the system. Different colors and/or labeling of the containers can assist the user in quickly identifying the stored location of and in retrieving needed items.

Other features and aspects of the invention will become apparent upon review of the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings. The invention, though, is pointed out with particularity by the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a front view of a vertically-aligned connecting container system in accordance with the present invention with a lower section there shown spaced apart from the ensemble wherein each container or section has a low-profile cylindrical shape.

FIG. 2 shows a top view of the vertically-aligned connecting container system of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 shows a side view of one container or section of the connecting container system of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a top view of one container or section of a container having a square instead of a circular shape.

FIG. 5 illustrates opening and closing one container while maintaining the system in an assembled relationship.

DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENT

FIG. 1 shows a connecting container system 10 having vertically stacked containers or containers 12-22 in accordance with the present invention. FIG. 2 shows the containers concentrically aligned about a vertical axis 29 (looking into the paper). FIG. 1 illustrates manual separation of the lower container 22 by pulling apart from the ensemble 10. In this embodiment, each container or compartment 12-22 has a low-profile cylindrical shape. The ensemble 10 may comprise two or more similarly-shaped and/or differently colored containers 12-22 and from a top perspective, each container may be square, circular, oval, or possess any other geometric shape when viewed along vertical axis 29.

As illustrated in the embodiment of FIGS. 2 and 3, each of the containers 12-22 has top and bottom planar surfaces 24 and 26, and each container 12-22 may include a clam-shell opening and closing mechanism such as piano hinges 28 and conventional clips or latches 30, which are also vertically aligned with each other when the containers are vertically stacked. Instead of mechanical hinges and latches 28 and 30, the hinge may comprise a thin plastic membrane and the latch may comprise interlocking clips that are integrally formed with top and bottom portions of the container where the entire structure of each container is injection-molded using thermoplastic or thermosetting plastic substance. Surfaces 24 and 26, however, need not be planar but may be formed in any geometric structure where top and bottom surfaces complementary mate each other when the containers are vertically stacked. To hold the containers in alignment, there may be provided a detent-bump arrangement disposed in opposed regions of top and bottom surfaces, grooved surfaces in top and bottom surfaces, or complementary geometrically mating surfaces between tops and bottoms of the containers.

According to a principal feature of the invention, each of the containers 12-22, as shown in FIGS. 1-3, has one or more permanent magnets 40, 42, 43 and 44 arranged or embedded in top surface 24 (FIG. 3) to provide a first magnetic polarity and one or more magnets 46 and 48 arranged in the bottom surface 26 (FIG. 3) to provide a second magnetic polarity. These magnets may comprise any conventional ferromagnetic material known in the art and may be hot-pressed into thermoplastic material that may form the top and bottoms of each container, or alternative, the magnets may be embedded in thermosetting plastic material during the plastic setting process of container formation. Respective magnets of the top and bottom surfaces also lie in vertical alignment relative to axis 29 to provide an attractive holding force when vertically stacking the containers 12-22. When positioned above and below each other, the magnets tend to draw the container into vertical alignment by urging their mating relationship. Where the containers have complementary protrusions and detents (or other complementary geometric configurations) to effect alignment, a single magnet instead of multiple magnets may be utilized in the top and bottom surfaces of the containers.

Optionally, a detent and protrusion formed in and respectively located on opposed portions of the containers may provide mechanical alignment of the containers when vertically stacked. In the embodiment of FIGS. 1-3, each container comprises a low-profile cylinder having top and bottom surfaces. In FIG. 4, however, the container has a square cross-sectional shape in a horizontal plane, but may also have other shapes, such as an oval or triangular shape in a horizontal plane. The container(s) of FIG. 4 also include magnets in top and bottom planar surfaces thereof, such as magnets 40-46 shown in the top surface. In addition, each container 12-22 (FIG. 1) may include a labeling region to enable a user to individually record the contents of respective containers of said ensemble.

As shown in FIG. 5, the container may be opened and closed in a clamshell fashion even while maintaining the ensemble in an assembled relationship.

The invention is not limited by the illustrated embodiments, but instead, is defined by the appended claims. 

1. A connecting container system for storing various items, said ensemble comprising: at least two similarly-shaped individually separable containers that each include (i) top and bottom surfaces and (ii) a clam-shell opening and closing mechanism having aligned hinges and latches when stacked; and each said container having at least one magnet of a first arranged polarity in the top surface and at least one magnet of a second arranged polarity in the bottom surface, the magnets of said top and bottom surfaces being in vertical alignment to provide an attractive holding force when vertically stacking said containers.
 2. The connecting container system of claim 1, wherein each container comprises a low-profile cylinder having top and bottom planar surfaces.
 3. The connecting container system of claim 1, wherein the containers have an oval or triangular shape in a horizontal plane.
 4. The connecting container system of claim 1, wherein the containers have a labeling region to enable a user to individually record the contents of respective containers of said ensemble.
 5. The connecting container system of claim 1, further including a detent and protrusion respectively located on opposed portions of said containers to provide mechanical alignment of said containers when vertically stacked.
 6. A multiunit connecting container system for storing various items, said ensemble comprising: at least three individually separable and cylindrically-shaped cases each having (i) top and bottom planar surfaces and (ii) a clam-shell opening and closing mechanism comprising vertically aligned hinges and latches when said container are vertically stacked; each said container having at least one magnet embedded in and flush-mounted with the top planar surface thereof to provide a first magnetic polarity and at least one magnet embedded in and flush-mounted with the bottom planar surface to provide a second magnetic polarity, the magnets of said top and bottom surface being in vertical alignment to provide an attractive holding force when vertically and concentrically stacking said containers; each of said at least three containers having a different color; each said container including a labeling region on an outer cylindrical surface thereof; each said container in said ensemble being re-arrangable in a different order so that different colors lie is different vertical positions; and each said container being individually openable and closeable when arranged in said ensemble without separating said ensemble.
 7. A connecting container system for storing various items, said ensemble comprising: at least two similarly-shaped individually separable containers wherein each said container has (i) top and bottom surfaces and (ii) a clam-shell opening and closing mechanism having vertically aligned hinges and latches when the containers are stacked; and each said container having multiple magnets arranged in the top surface to provide a first magnetic polarity and multiple magnets arranged in the bottom surface to provide a second directional polarity, the position of said magnets in said top and bottom surfaces being complementary, the magnets of said top and bottom surface being flush-mounted with said surfaces and positioned in vertical alignment to provide an attractive holding force when vertically stacking said containers. 